Massive hints against alcohol

purrpurr

In the most recent assembly there were several heavy hints about not drinking alcohol at all. Saying that it doesn't give a good witness or would stumble others.

Is this a new "unwritten directive?

stillin

Really? Think of all the contributions that there would be if that beer money went into the contribution box!

There have always been those who drink too much. Maybe it was "tough talk" meant for them.

I do recall at a District Convention about 10 years ago a dramatization of a couple who moved into a congregation that needed help. The couple discussed how they got some raised eyebrows from brothers/sisters who came over for dinner when they saw the couple's wine rack. The couple decided to get rid of it because they didn't was to "stumble" anyone in their new congregation.

_Morpheus

I do recall at a District Convention about 10 years ago a dramatization of a couple who moved into a congregation that needed help. The couple discussed how they got some raised eyebrows from brothers/sisters who came over for dinner when they saw the couple's wine rack. The couple decided to get rid of it because they didn't was to "stumble" anyone in their new congregation.
i remember that as well! In the end, the bible talks about drinking somewhat favorable in some key passages. They wont shut it down completely, too many dubbies need to drink to cope with the cognitive dissonance.
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ToesUp

Well, they had better shut down Bethel. There is more drinking that goes on there. Maybe the GB should have to step down, they don't have their house in order.

LongHairGal

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT:

If that isn’t a good reason for somebody not to have JWs over their house, I don’t know what is. Here somebody invites people over and gets criticized over something that is plainly neutral. That would have been the LAST time I would have them over! I remember having to hide things before certain JWs came over.

STILLIN:

Good point...In general, JWs tend to drink too much. That was my observation. But, you’re probably right that the religion is looking for more sacrifice. (Don’t drink that beer - put the $ in the contribution box) much the same as the little child encouraged in one of their cartoon videos to give their ice cream money, which I thought was shameful.

Alive!

My experience was that a large number of witnesses were/are extremely heavy drinkers, men and women.

And....I’m talking about fully approved Elders, Ministerial Servants and Pioneers...not just ‘fringe-dwellers’.

I dont mean this in a judgemental way....but as mentioned, the CD needed to be numbed, I’m sure.

When I look back, overall we just didn’t have a wholesome culture.....something was ‘off’.

To live in belief that the lives of billions depended on your ‘witness’, to know you failed time and time again to ‘win’ people over, many who were family, loved and known to be decent folk.....the emotional burden is heavy. One minute you are out under the ‘guidance of angels’ searching for honest-hearted ones in the most significant mission in the history of man, the next minute you were planning that evenings social activities....which always involved alcohol. Our conversations could be all about interior design, the latest plan for this and that...the next second we’d be straight faced ringing a doorbell, offering a magazine on Armageddon.

I look back....it was borderline insanity.

No wonder heavy drinking was prevalent.

sparrowdown

I hardly ever consumed alcohol in front of other JWs anyway. Who needs those judgy looks and to hand them on a plate potential grist for the gossip mill.

Normalfulla

I've been privy to many an organised jw function at a bar etc, for the most part the bar is always happy, jws love their booze. I can attest to this personally knowing many many hard core boozers however I doubt whether this behaviour is at a greater concentration in the org than in general society

alanv

The org would have no chance of winning this one. Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. So they had already consumed an amount of wine, and when they run out, Jesus gave them more lol